A National Report on the Broadcast Industry’s Community Service

APRIL 1998 “IT’S JUST THE MINDSET OF A BROADCASTER TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND TO BE INVOLVED.”

Jerry Watson General Manager KTTC-TV Rochester, Minnesota BLANK PAGE page ii TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2

RESEARCH METHOD 5

BROADCASTERS’ COMMITMENT BY THE NUMBERS 6

BEYOND MEASURE: THE EVERYDAY COMMITMENT OF BROADCASTERS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES 11 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

ince the first commercial radio station went on the air earlier this century, America’s broadcasters have been committed to S serving the communities in which they operate. It is a promise that predates passage of the Radio Act of 1927, with its charge to broadcasters to “serve the public interest, convenience and necessity.” In the process of fulfilling this pledge, broadcasters have become part of the fabric of the towns and cities they serve, so heavily in- volved in so many different activities that they are an integral part of each community’s quality of life. A Year of Service This year, the National Association of Broadcasters celebrates its 75th anniversary. The first wave of digital television stations is $4.6 Billion scheduled to go on the air. And radio is preparing for its own tran- Projected value of PSA air time sition to digital broadcasting. NAB is marking this watershed year donated by TV and Radio Stations in our history with the release of a national report on our industry’s and National Networks community service accomplishments. The report’s conclusion is that community service – at least the fraction that can be quantified $2.1 Billion – amounted to $6.85 billion over 12 months. Projected amount raised for charities/causes by TV & Radio But even that incredible number doesn’t tell the whole story. Broad- $148.4 Million casters’ community service is diverse, enormously valuable and has a major impact on communities all across America, in large part be- Projected value of free air time donated by TV & Radio Stations cause each individual station has the latitude to serve its audience’s and National Networks for unique and specific needs. Radio and television broadcasters invest Debates, Candidate Forums and enormous amounts of both programming and non-programming time Convention Coverage in serving their communities. Public service announcements, to be sure, are a significant part of that effort – $4.26 billion a year, an TOTAL: $6.85 Billion average of nearly a million dollars per TV station and $400,000 per radio station. (That’s 137 and 122 spots per week, respectively, the majority of which are locally produced or about local issues.) But they are only the beginning of on-air activities. And much of what stations do to serve their communities is off the air as well.

More than nine out of ten stations say they help charities, charitable causes or needy individuals by fund-raising or offering other sup- port – a projected total of $2.1 billion per year. That figure includes countless telethons, blood drives, Thanksgiving dinners for the home- less, Christmas presents, immunization clinics, and a long list of other activities that are both on the air and off. What it cannot include is the value of thousands of genuine human stories, the very real faces and names whose lives come into contact with their local broadcasters and are changed for the better – lives saved by timely mammograms made possible because one station saw an unmet need in a poor neighborhood, or by another station’s child-abuse hotline.

2 There are also times when local broadcasters can literally mean the difference between life and death. After major disasters, stations help gather and distribute emergency supplies. They help coordi- nate emergency evacuations and tell those affected where to go for help. They provide a lifeline to those who have lost power and running water but can still find a small portable radio or TV. The evening news tells their stories, and whether it’s victims of floods, fires, earthquakes, mudslides, hurricanes, or terrorist bombings, they all have one thing in common: they all turn to broadcasters for help. No price tag can be placed on the value of these voluntary lifesaving efforts.

Furthering the public dialogue on political issues and candidates is another important broadcaster contribution. Nearly half of the sta- tions that received surveys provide free airtime for political candi- dates – $148.4 million worth of free time freely given in the form of debates, issue forums, convention coverage and the like, as well as campaigns to encourage voting and profile candidates’ stands on Virtually all focus the issues. It is just such information that voters say they find most heavily on local helpful in making their decisions. As the quantitative section of this report documents, however, many station offers are declined by events, issues candidates – as much as $15.1 million worth of airtime in 1996, and institutions. based on the average airtime values of events that were actually held. In doing so, they

Station executives and on-air talent also spend countless hours of reach out and donated time appearing at public events and serving on boards and mobilize their commissions, and their colleagues typically follow that example. audiences, helping One television station in Rochester, Minnesota, polled its 51 em- ployees and found they had commitments to 138 charitable organi- their communities zations. These, too, are immeasurable contributions. help themselves.

There are as many different approaches to community service as there are different stations serving different audiences. But virtu- ally all focus heavily on local events, issues and institutions. In do- ing so, they reach out and mobilize their audiences, helping their communities help themselves. More than 75 percent of stations say they consult with local community leaders in deciding which issues and causes to address.

Radio and TV stations rally civic pride and prod local government to do the right thing. They work with schools to collect resources and materials. They send sick children across the country to specialty hospitals and help those hospitals keep their doors open. They raise money for symphony orchestras. They build homes for the homeless and provide coats to poor families. The list goes on and on.

3 But it all comes down to helping people in communities:

■ WNNN-AM in Salem, New Jersey, has helped to build hous- ing for seven needy families in their area, at a value of $350,000.

■ Two sister stations in rural Nebraska raised the money to train three paramedics for a county that had none.

■ WZZK-AM/FM radio in Birmingham, Alabama, held a drive that collected 15,000 pints of blood in one day.

■ WXYZ-TV in Detroit sponsors a fair that for two decades has immunized 2,000 inner-city children every year.

Sometimes it’s one single family. When Shawn Guyer, a young boy in Pennsylvania, had to have both arms and legs amputated due to the spread of his leukemia, WIKZ-FM/WCHA-AM in Chambersburg set up a trust fund to help his family deal with the financial and emotional strain. One fall morning last year the sta- tions’ morning team hit the airwaves with the goal of raising enough money to purchase a specially equipped van for Shawn and his fam- ily. The morning program begins at 9 a.m., but the team stayed on until that evening taking contributions. Listeners lined up through- out the building to give donations in person, offering to babysit, alter Shawn’s clothes, even renovate the family’s home. Local busi- nesses matched the donations of their employees. A local car dealer- ship donated the van the family so desperately needed. In the end, the station raised almost $200,000 to help a single needy family.

Again, one can’t put a price tag on what these activities meant to these beneficiaries, and they’re only a few of the thousands of activi- ties stations are involved in every day. But it is worthwhile to begin to quantify the industry’s measurable community service contribu- tions, and document the many that are beyond value to set the record straight on what stations do for their local communities.

This report is the result of that effort. Forty-two percent of stations responded to the survey. That unusually high return rate provides a high level of confidence in the accuracy of the numbers.

It makes us proud to be one of the largest providers – at nearly $7 billion a year – of community service in the nation. This research will help us find things we haven’t measured and ways that stations can learn from one another. After 75 years of service, it is a record of which all broadcasters should be proud.

4 RESEARCH METHOD

The National Association of Broadcasters, in partnership with the state broadcaster associations from all 50 states, commissioned a research project among television and radio station executives throughout the United States to determine the extent of station participation in community service activities over the 12-month timespan from August 1, 1996 to July 31, 1997. The National Association of The research project was completed in three waves. An initial wave Broadcasters, in of mail surveys was completed among broadcast executives in Ari- zona and Minnesota between August 1 and September 12, 1997, to partnership with the test the instrument. A second wave of mail surveys covering the state broadcaster rest of the United States and the District of Columbia was com- associations from all 50 pleted between October 1, 1997 and January 31, 1998. Finally, a survey of the national networks was mailed in January 1998 and states, commissioned a completed on March 10. research project among Individual state broadcaster associations were responsible for mail- television and radio ing the surveys to executives at stations within their states. Com- station executives pleted surveys were sent to Public Opinion Strategies, an Alexandria, throughout the United Virginia-based opinion research firm, to be tabulated and analyzed. States to determine the Reminders to complete the survey were sent to executives at par- extent of station ticipating broadcast stations at regular intervals throughout the pro- cess in an attempt to ensure the highest participation possible. participation in community service Executives representing a total of 730 television stations completed the survey, as did all four TV networks and 3,079 radio stations, for activities over the a total of 3,813 responses. The overall response rate for this project 12-month timespan was 42% (3,813 of 9,027 stations that received the survey). The from August 1, 1996 to completion rate among television stations was 63% (730 of 1,153), 100% among the networks, and among radio stations, it was 39% July 31, 1997. (3,079 of 7,870). This is an unusually high return rate for a project of this type; even among association members, most mail surveys tend to fall in the 20% to 30% response range.

The margin of error for the overall percentages reported here is ± 1.0% at the 95% confidence level. That is, if this survey were to be replicated 100 times, we would expect the true percentage of the population to fall within a 1% statistical interval at least 95 times.

For the television sub-sample, the margin of error is ± 1.3%; for the radio subsample, it is ± 1.1%. That provides a high degree of accu- racy for extrapolating the data.

State broadcaster associations and NAB conducted interviews with station staffs to gather the qualitative examples in this report.

5 BROADCASTERS’ COMMITMENT BY THE NUMBERS

Radio and television broadcasters invest enormous amounts of both programming and non-programming time in serving their com- munities. Public service announcements (PSAs) are a significant part of that effort, but they are only part of the picture. Much of what station staffs do is also off the air, and not reflected in the total figure of just under $7 billion a year for the industry’s quantifiable contributions in PSA airtime, charity fundraising, free political air time, and the like.

While at first glance some stations may appear to have similar agen- das, a closer look reveals that each takes a unique approach to serving the special needs of their equally unique audiences and communities. Donating Time and Raising Money

Overall, local broadcasters responding to the survey reported do- nating more than $2 billion in air time for public service announce- ments last year. The projected value of the time donated last year by all TV and radio stations and the networks who were mailed the survey is approximately $4.6 billion.

■ The typical television station runs an average of 137 PSAs per week. Using the reported average run-of-station rate charged for a 30- second TV spot ($136), these PSAs translate into $968,865 in donated air time per TV station per year, or a total of $707.3 million for respondents. The projected value of PSA time do- nated by all TV stations who received the survey is $1.12 billion.

■ The four TV networks reported running a median of 41 PSAs in a typical week, valued at more than $342 million per year.

■ The typical radio station runs an average of 122 PSAs per week. This translates into $399,670 in donated air time per radio station per year (at an average rate of $63), or a total of $1.2 billion for re- spondents. The projected value of PSA time donated by all radio stations who were sent the survey is $3.14 billion.

More than nine out of ten TV and radio stations (92%) reported helping charities, charitable causes or needy individuals by fund- raising or offering some other support. Collectively, respondents reported raising $1.13 billion for charities last year, for a projected

6 total of $2.1 billion raised for charities and charitable causes last year by all TV and radio stations who were mailed the survey.

■ Among TV stations, the average annual amount raised was $867,300, for a total of $582 million among respondents. The projected amount raised for charity last year by all TV stations is $924 million.

■ Among radio stations, the average annual amount raised was $163,800, for a total of $461 million. The projected amount raised for charity last year by all radio stations is $1.2 billion.

■ As one might reasonably expect, the amount raised annually per station rises along with the population it serves, as the fol- lowing table illustrates:

Broadcaster charity fundraising by population served More than nine out of ten TV and Residents Under 25,000 to 75,000 to More than 25,000 75,000 1 million 1 million radio stations (92%) reported Average raised $25,600 $90,200 $165,000 $404,200 helping charities, charitable causes Local Issues Guide Broadcasters or needy individuals by Two-thirds of broadcast stations were involved in either on-air com- fund-raising or munity service campaigns — either through local news broadcasts, PSAs, or public affairs programming — or off-air activities to aid offering some the victims of disasters. This figure includes 66% of TV and 68% other support. of radio stations and is fairly consistent across all regions.

■ More than seven in ten stations in the Midwest (72%) say they aided victims of disaster, while 68% of broadcast stations in the South, 66% in the West, and 57% in the Northeast did. The slight bump in the Midwest is primarily due to the tremendous flooding that occurred last summer in that region.

■ A total of 56% of broadcast stations say they ran on-air cam- paigns to aid victims of disaster, while fully 42% say they ran a combination of on-air and off-air campaigns.

■ Six in ten PSAs run by all broadcasters who received the survey are either locally produced or deal with local issues. Among radio stations, the figure is 66%, while it is 52% among TV stations.

7 More than eight in ten broadcast stations (85%) say they involve local businesses in their community service campaigns. This figure includes 86% of TV and 84% of radio stations. These figures are stable across all regions of the country.

About three quarters of executives at broadcast stations (76%) say they consult with local community leaders in deciding the issues and causes for community service programming and the appropriate proportion of locally-to-nationally produced material to air. This figure includes 81% of TV and 75% of radio stations.

Broadcasters are Addressing Important Topics

The following table examines some specific issues and the response by stations:

TV RADIO

PA News PA News Issue PSA Program Segment PSA Program Segment

AIDS 81% 39% 75% 77% 46% 73%

Alcohol abuse 90% 47% 72% 89% 59% 73%

Anti-crime 89% 56% 76% 83% 62% 77%

Anti-violence 86% 51% 74% 78% 56% 73%

Drinking during Pregnancy 62% 23% 55% 56% 30% 49%

Drug use/abuse 94% 53% 75% 89% 63% 78%

Drunk driving 93% 43% 74% 93% 63% 80%

Fund raising drives 89% 66% 75% 94% 80% 80%

Hunger/poverty/ Homelessness 84% 53% 74% 78% 61% 73%

PSA: During the past year, did your station air any PSAs concerning . . . PA Program: During the past year, did your station air any locally produced public affairs programs or segments, not including your news broadcasts, dealing with . . . News Segment: During the past year, did your station air any news segments concerning . . .

8 Promoting Participation Nearly seven in ten broadcast stations (68%) typically run a com- bination of on- and off-air community service campaigns – those that involve both PSAs and on-the-ground station involvement. Among TV stations the figure is 75%, while 66% of radio stations also run combination campaigns. (These efforts, of course, are of- ten supplemented by national campaigns.) Broadcasters report assisting a diverse number of groups and causes, including promoting charitable events, donation drives, local com- munity events, county fairs, and service organizations and their activities. There was also a wealth of issue-specific awareness an- nouncements, dealing with subjects such as health, education, and Broadcasters report crime prevention. assisting a diverse ■ Broadcasters in virtually every state mention running PSAs for number of groups the United Way and Habitat for Humanity. and causes, ■ Many other charitable organizations and specific fundraising including promoting drives received mentions across multiple states, including the Salvation Army, Toys for Tots, Coats for Kids, Race for the charitable events, Cure, March of Dimes, Easter Seals, St. Judes Children’s Re- donation drives, local search Hospital, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Ronald McDonald community events, House, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Catholic Charities, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association county fairs, and telethon. service organizations ■ Local aid organizations mentioned include hospices, hospitals, and their activities. firefighter/police/other safety organizations, food banks, home- There was also a less shelters, and domestic violence shelters, to name a few. wealth of issue- ■ Other local community events include blood drives, perform- specific awareness ing arts groups (ballet, symphony, etc.), centennial celebrations announcements, (as well as bi- and tri-centennial events), libraries and muse- ums, zoos, fire prevention week, bookmobiles, “First Night” dealing with subjects celebrations, winter carnivals, and state and county fairs. such as health, ■ There were also a number of mentions of issue awareness ac- education, and crime tivities, dealing with topics like alcohol and drug abuse, drink- prevention. ing and driving, smoking, adolescent mentoring, AIDS aware- ness, breast cancer awareness, child abuse prevention, domestic abuse prevention, environment awareness, fire prevention, hunter and firearm safety, children’s health issues, education and literacy projects, “Stay in School” announcements, parenting tips, and recycling. ■ Finally, support for service organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Jaycees, Elks, Lions, Rotary, Optimists, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, American Legion, Knights of Colum-

9 bus, Masons, Boy/Girl Scouts, Boys/Girls Clubs, Junior Achieve- ment, 4-H, and others was also demonstrated. Nearly half of the broadcast stations made free air time available to political candidates in 1996 by way of candidate forums or debates sponsored either by the station or outside groups such as the League of Women Voters. Among respondents, the total estimated value of this free air time is $40.6 million. All TV and radio stations and the networks are projected to have donated $148.4 million in free air time to political candidates and convention coverage in 1996. Nearly half of the ■ Half of the TV and radio stations offered to sponsor and air broadcast stations debates and forums themselves, with 78 percent of TV stations made free air time and 87 percent of radio stations reporting that at least one de- available to political bate was held. However, 38 percent of TV stations and 34 per- cent of radio stations reported that at least one of the offers of candidates in 1996 debates or forums was refused by one or more of the candi- by way of candidate dates. That means that in 1996 political candidates turned down forums or debates as much as $8.4 million worth of free radio airtime and $6.7 million of TV time, a total of $15.1 million, based on the aver- sponsored either by age airtime values of events that were actually held. the station or ■ Twenty percent of TV stations and 23% of radio stations said outside groups such they aired a debate or forum sponsored by an outside group, as the League of such as the League of Women Voters. Women Voters. ■ All of the major networks ran at least one 1996 presidential In 1996 political debate, and three out of four ran a second, as well as the vice candidates turned presidential debate. They also devoted several hours each to down as much as covering the party conventions. $8.4 million worth ■ Nearly six in ten broadcast stations (58%) aired a local public affairs program or segment (excluding news broadcasts) dealing of free radio airtime with the 1996 elections. While 44% of TV stations ran such a and $6.7 million of program or segment, fully 63% of radio stations did. Stations TV time, a total of in the Northeast (63%) were more likely to say they aired these $15.1 million, types of segments. based on the average ■ More than half of broadcast stations (54%) ran special segments profiling candidates and/or their issue stands. This figure in- airtime values of cludes 63% of TV and 51% of radio stations. events that were ■ Most of the commercial broadcast stations — 92% overall; 91% actually held. of TV and 93% of radio — appealed to their audiences to vote, either through PSAs, public affairs programming or the news. These figures are stable across all regions of the country. ■ Eight in ten broadcast stations made their appeal through PSAs, another 65% included the appeal during news broadcasts, and 45% issued the appeal on a public affairs program.

10 BEYOND MEASURE: THE EVERYDAY COMMITMENT OF BROADCASTERS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES

Despite the numbers outlined in the first section of this report, when most Americans stop to think about the community services provided by their local television and radio stations, they usually cite only public service announcements, the occasional “commu- nity calendar,” and maybe a charity fundraiser or two. After more Particularly in than 75 years, broadcasters and their community service have be- come such an integral part of the national landscape that their abil- smaller markets, ity to improve the quality of life is simply expected, if perhaps not local TV and radio fully appreciated and recognized. stations serve as Virtually all stations do run PSAs and provide other basic commu- indispensable organs nity services. But they are only the beginning. Much of what of communication stations do is off the air, and has a significant impact on the lives of and organization. real people. Without exception, In fact, most stations have become institutions upon which count- their managers are less other beneficial organizations literally depend for their liveli- keenly aware of the hoods and their ability to function effectively. unique power of Particularly in smaller markets, local TV and radio stations serve as their medium and indispensable organs of communication and organization. With- the special out exception, their managers are keenly aware of the unique power of their medium and the special responsibility it carries. responsibility it carries. Station executives and on-air talent spend countless hours of do- nated time appearing at public events and serving on boards and commissions, and the rest of the staff typically follows their ex- ample. One television station in Rochester, Minnesota, polled its 51 employees and found they had commitments to 138 charitable organizations. General Manager Jerry Watson of KTTC-TV ex- plained: “It’s just the mindset of a broadcaster to serve the commu- nity and to be involved.” One of his counterparts in the same state, asked about the requests his station receives from local chari- ties, said: “We literally try to help anybody who needs anything.”

11 At least one station, WCSC-TV in Charleston, South Carolina, has even set aside a fixed amount of air time - valued at approximately $200,000 per year - exclusively for community service initiatives. This is “our promise to the community,” said Jim Smith, General Manager.

America’s community broadcasters range from small-market radio to large-market network affiliates. Their ownership varies from small family companies to network O&O’s. But they all have one thing in common: they all focus primarily on local events, issues and in- stitutions as a means of serving their audiences. As Bob Kahltoff, General Manager of Arizona’s KYMA-TV, put it: “I would most likely run a PSA from the American Cancer Society if asked to do America’s community so, [but] I would definitely run a PSA from the Yuma chapter.”

broadcasters range In doing so, most stations reach out and embrace the involvement from small-market of their audiences, in essence helping their communities help them- radio to large-market selves. They mobilize their viewers and listeners. They recruit part- ners among local businesses. They rally civic pride and prod local network affiliates. government to do the right thing. They support schools with re- Their ownership varies sources and materials. They send sick children across the country from small family to specialty hospitals and help those hospitals keep their doors open. They pay for free immunization clinics to keep kids healthy in the companies to network first place. They raise money for symphony orchestras. They build O&O’s. But they all homes for the homeless and provide coats for those who need them. have one thing in America’s broadcasters provide focal points and sponsorships for common: they all focus vast undertakings like telethons and marathons, but they also do a primarily on local lot in their own backyards. Many stations, for example, informally events, issues and “adopt” poor families over the holidays, buying them gifts and food out of their own pockets. They don’t put it on the air; they don’t institutions as a means report it to the FCC. They do it out of a genuine and personal of serving their sense of obligation to community. audiences. At times, local broadcasters can even mean the difference between life and death to their viewers and listeners. They help gather and distribute emergency relief after all manner of disasters, from storms to earthquakes to chemical waste leakage. They help coordinate emergency evacuations and tell people where to go for help. They provide a lifeline to those who have lost power and running water but can still find a small portable radio or TV.

Sometimes community service has nothing to do with money at all. When a young girl in the midwest was brutally raped and beaten, two radio stations sent her stuffed animals and a giant card signed by 1,000 listeners. It said: “We Care.”

12 What follows are a few short highlights of some of the community service going on every day, in virtually every community across the nation. These anecdotes represent only a tiny fraction of what broad- casters do for America, but their names and faces shed light on the heroic actions of their colleagues from coast to coast.

COMMON THEMES Crisis Response/People in Need

When a family’s home burns to the ground, when a homeless kitchen has all of its Thanksgiving turkeys stolen, when children are or- Thousands of phaned by a drunk driver, America’s local broadcasters step in to fill the need in a way that no one else can. Thousands of times a day, times a day, human catastrophes leave lives in shambles and in need of help. human catastrophes Sometimes it’s a freak accident, sometimes the cumulative effect of leave lives in years of grinding poverty. Whatever the cause, broadcasters rarely turn down those who appear on their doorsteps. shambles and in need of help. ■ When Shawn Guyer, a young boy in Pennsylvania, had to have Sometimes it’s a both arms and legs amputated due to the spread of his leuke- mia, WIKZ-FM/WCHA-AM in Chambersburg set up a trust freak accident, fund to help his family deal with the financial and emotional sometimes the strain. One fall morning last year the stations’ morning team cumulative effect hit the airwaves with the goal of raising enough money to pur- chase a specially equipped van for Shawn and his family. The of years of morning program begins at 9 a.m., but the team stayed on until grinding poverty. 6 that evening taking contributions. Listeners came to the sta- Whatever the cause, tion, lined up throughout the building, and gave donations in person. They offered to alter Shawn’s clothes, renovate the broadcasters rarely family’s home, and babysit. Local businesses matched the do- turn down those nations of their employees. A local car dealership donated a who appear on van. In the end, the station raised almost $200,000, earning a front page story in the Harrisburg Patriot and coverage on the their doorsteps. news of other area stations.

■ Young Julia Prudhomme of Boise, Idaho, needed multiple or- gan transplants. Many of the city’s stations banded together to spread the word and collect donations. Enough money was raised to transport Julianne to Florida for the operation, and to help pay some of the medical expenses. Afterward, when Julianne was well enough to come home, KBCI-TV provided a private jet and a limousine at the airport to transport her back to her family.

13 ■ A women who had lost her husband two years previously was killed in a car crash while driving to work one morning, leaving two small children orphaned. The morning DJ on KCLR-FM in Boonville, Missouri, heard about the situation and immedi- ately conducted an on-air fundraiser to help the children. The community rallied to help and raised over $10,000 for the two children.

■ WLOX-TV in Biloxi, Mississippi, has an “Action Reporter” who helps people or families that have fallen on hard times. Several times a month they air stories on, for example: families that have lost their homes and possessions to fire or flood; a blind man who needed a new seeing-eye dog; handicapped individu- als in need of wheelchair ramps; a sick child whose dream was to see a professional football game; and many others. The sta- tion encourages viewers who can help to call the station, and then connects the two.

■ When a single mother in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was diagnosed with breast cancer, the Old Town Merchants Association joined forces with several local radio stations to help stage a benefit to raise $20,000 for her treatment and her child’s education.

■ KWCH-TV’s coverage of an arson fire at the Holy Temple Church in Wichita, Kansas, resulted in numerous donations, including pews, organs and a temporary building. The station led the way with its own contribution of $1,000 to the church’s rebuilding fund.

■ After devastating ice storms early this winter, according to Mark Tordoff, station manager of WMSJ-FM, Freeport, Maine, “A listener called late in our morning show. The family had lost power for nearly two weeks and discovered, when power was restored, that the pipes had burst and the boiler to the furnace was damaged. The family, which included three small children, was without full-time income and feared losing their home, as their homeowners’ insurance would not cover enough of the anticipated expense.” The following day, the station took pledges of support and raised enough money to help the family make all the necessary repairs. Disaster Relief

It is a rare year that passes without leaving a major disaster of some form or another that must be coped with by some community in America, from forest fires and floods to earthquakes and hurricanes. They can level small towns and evacuate large cities. As though nature weren’t enough, occasionally man adds to the mix with a

14 toxic waste spill or terrorist act. There are as many different kinds of catastrophes as there are people who suffer through them. But the one thing they all have in common is that communities big and small turn to broadcasters to help them survive.

In doing so, station staff often risk life and limb. Seven years later, residents of coastal South Carolina still recall the work of their ra- dio and television stations during and after Hurricane Hugo. Count- less other communities have watched news trucks chasing torna- does to track their course, or seen stations barricade their buildings and stockpile supplies so they could stay on the air during floods and storms - often working round-the-clock for weeks at a time. It’s not unusual for stations to pre-empt normal commercial pro- gramming for hours or days on end.

Broadcasters go to these lengths because they know they are a unique lifeline to people in need, be it by relaying critical information to the public from government officials or by passing personal mes- sages back and forth between relief workers and victims. It’s not unusual for stations to ■ After the devastating recent floods in North Dakota, said Gen- eral Manager Mike Nolan of nearby KEEZ-FM in Mankato, pre-empt Minnesota: “I woke up Monday morning . . . I came into normal work and gathered as many staff people as I could. I said, ‘Drop commercial whatever you’re doing, we’re doing a flood relief effort.’ By three o’clock that day we were set up live at Hi-Vee (grocery programming store). We broadcast live for 36 hours and gathered 47,000 for hours or pounds of food . . .” days on end.

■ During the worst of the North Dakota flooding, all five Meyer broadcasting television stations in the area joined together for a telethon that ran from 6am to 6pm, ending with a live one- hour broadcast during which the dam broke in downtown Grand Forks. The telethon raised $250,000, all of which went to the American Red Cross.

■ Meanwhile, radio station KZZY-FM in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, sponsored a shelter for those who had been displaced from their homes. A call went out over the airwaves for dona- tions of all kinds — food, clothing, bedding, money, volun- teers — and so much was received that the excess had to be sent to a nearby military base. Nearly 2,800 people were forced to live at the local branch of the University of North Dakota for up to three weeks, and station staff volunteered to help them the entire time.

15 ■ After the flooding was over, all of the television stations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area banded together to produce a joint video special, Beyond the Flood. All proceeds from the sale of taped copies of the show benefited flood victims.

■ WKPE-AM/FM in Massachusetts broadcast for 28 hours straight when Hurricane Eduardo hit their area over Labor Day week- end. They stopped all normal broadcast programming and be- gan giving regular updates on the conditions of Cape Cod, keep- ing in constant contact with people riding out the storm on their boats, informing listeners where they could go for shelter and even going as far as driving out to the harbor to make sure a boat was still there when after lost contact with it.

■ After a massive ice storm hit Maine, WGME/WCSH/WMTW Radio and WPXT-TV in Portland teamed up with WLBZ-TV in Bangor for a one-hour simulcast in January, co-hosted by anchors from each of the stations, to raise funds for the Ameri- can Red Cross. The total raised exceeded $750,000.

■ When the news anchors at KHQ-TV in Spokane, Washington saw their network counterparts in Oklahoma City wearing blue ribbons to express sympathy for the victims of the bombing of the federal building there, they did the same. They also ex- plained to their viewers why, and soon people began calling in to find out where they could get a blue ribbon. Half an hour later, the station began handing out blue ribbons for a $1 dona- tion to the Red Cross. They raised over $100,000 in less than half a day for relief in Oklahoma City and cleaned out the blue ribbon supply in Spokane.

■ During a recent flood, the five-person staff of KSHN-FM in Liberty, Texas, continued broadcasting for eight straight days, reporting on evacuations, shelters and bursting levees despite rising water in the station itself. At times they were forced to broadcast remotely from boats and airplanes.

■ After hurricanes Fran and Bertha ravaged North Carolina in 1996, WTVD-TV in Durham partnered with a local super- market chain to raise money for the area chapter of the Red Cross. A video of Fran and its aftermath was produced, with all proceeds benefiting the agency. The project raised more than $100,000.

16 Local Weather Crises

There is often a fine line between a disaster and a weather crisis, but both illustrate the ways in which broadcasters often meet different needs at the same time. In both cases, the most critical factor is often information - before, during and after. Good information delivered in a timely way can save lives; there are numerous ex- amples of people hearing station warnings to take cover in their basements and later finding the rest of their homes - where they had been standing only moments earlier - utterly demolished.

Broadcasters can also bring peace of mind. One station in the frigid north of Minnesota said it typically airs 750 individual announce- ments - from school closings to personal missives - during the course Good information of a heavy snowstorm. Another sponsored an emergency assistance team of 40 volunteer snowmobile owners, providing them with cel- delivered in a timely lular telephones, sleds and helmets. The station takes requests by way can save lives; telephone and coordinates the snowmobilers to transport medical there are numerous personnel, deliver prescriptions and food, and perform similar tasks in otherwise inaccessible areas. examples of people hearing station ■ A mother called KFAB-AM radio in Omaha during a late Oc- warnings to take tober 1997 snow storm to say that, since the electricity had gone out, her son had only two hours of auxiliary power left on cover in their a life-giving respirator. She had been unable to reach the power basements and later company because the line had been busy for several days. The finding the rest of station relayed word to the power company and within ten min- utes a crew was on the way to restore power to that home. their homes – where they had been ■ WJLS-AM/FM in West Virginia has an information line that is standing only often used during periods of weather emergency. The first year the line was in operation, more than 115,000 calls were logged. moments earlier – utterly demolished. ■ In addition to their ongoing coverage of a flash flood in the Virginia-Tennessee-North Carolina region, WCYB-TV in Bristol, Virginia launched a PSA campaign totaling about $55,000 in air time to provide information on where to get help, what was needed and how to report damage. More than $400,000 was donated to the Red Cross, FEMA received 479 calls from residents and more than 400 people volunteered.

■ A Boy Scout camp had to be evacuated during a large storm in Vermont, much to the distress of parents who didn’t know what had happened to their sons. WDEV-AM/FM did live remotes from the school where the evacuees were taken and offered free telephone service through their newsroom for parents’ use.

17 Holiday Initiatives

The Christmas/Hanukkah holiday season is a particular focus of station initiatives, many involving donations of food, clothing and gifts for the less fortunate. Toys for Tots is a favorite for a large number of stations. Other holidays also spark unique and special programs, from Easter Egg hunts to Memorial Day parades.

■ The W. Steven Martin Police Toy Drive is a 20-year tradition at KNIX-FM in Phoenix. Martin, a veteran deejay, partners with over 700 Arizona law enforcement officers (known as “elficers”) who distribute toys to at-risk children across the state. Last year, over 120,000 toys were donated by Arizonans from all walks of life.

■ KKOB-AM in Albuquerque, New Mexico, co-sponsors the “World’s Largest Thanksgiving Dinner” at the city’s convention center, serving 1,000 people last year.

■ KARE-TV in Minneapolis has helped run a Toys for Tots pro- gram for over 10 years that has grown to collect more than 500,000 toys and $100,000 last Christmas. They run extensive PSAs as well as heavy features in their six daily newscasts, often highlighting members of the community who help bring in pre- sents in ways big and small. The Marine Corps sets up an enor- mous military tent outside the station and transports the gifts dropped off there and elsewhere to the storage warehouse.

■ MACAmerica, owner of several TV and radio stations in Ari- zona, co-sponsors Phoenix’s annual Fourth of July celebration, “Fabulous Phoenix Fourth,” complete with an elaborate fire- works show. A recent celebration included a concert by the country music group Alabama.

■ WKHK-FM in Richmond, Virginia, has a “Christmas Wish” program that offers listeners the opportunity to write in with requests ranging from heating oil to the honeymoon-they-never- had to a new water well to a trip to see a dying family member. The station raises funds to grant these wishes and connects applicants with area businesses that can meet their needs. An average of 50 people are helped per year.

■ “Operation Prom Graduation,” a special project of the Arizona Broadcasters Association, enlists the cooperation of local fire departments and paramedics to stage mock crashes that provide vivid and graphic depictions of the ramifications of drinking and driving for high school students around the state.

18 Children

A large proportion of community service programs are geared to- ward children’s needs - from diapers and educational programming to playground equipment and field trips. Many stations also help teach parenting skills through PSAs, workshops and special pro- gramming.

A good many of these activities fall under separate categories of this report, but among the most prominent, and moving, of station pro- grams are those that seek to find “Big Brothers” and “Big Sisters” for individual at-risk children, and to even place foster children into permanent adoptive homes.

■ WCIV-TV in Charleston, South Carolina, WLBT-TV in Jack- son, Mississippi, and many other stations around the country participate in a program called “Wednesday’s Child.” Typically, a weekly segment that airs on Wednesday profiles a child cur- rently in the local foster care system. Over the years, more than 400 of the children profiled by each of these two stations alone have been placed with loving parents.

■ KTVQ-TV in Billings, Montana, sponsors a similar program called “A Waiting Child”. Every two weeks a news anchor in- terviews a child who is waiting to be adopted, and that inter- view is broadcast along with the phone number of the state adoption agency. Last August the station received a letter from the head of the agency saying that 50 percent of the children featured had been adopted - a total of 191 children. Since the beginning of the program, in fact, the number of adoption in- quiries in the state has risen by 50 percent.

■ For five years, KLIZ-FM and a sister station in Brainerd, Min- nesota, have taken 200 children fishing once a summer, along with 100 volunteer adult chaperones. The stations provide free T-shirts and goodie bags and broadcast live from the lake. Most of the children are either from foster homes or single-parent households.

■ As a result of some investigative reporting by KPNX-TV in Phoenix, it was discovered that nearly all of the equipment on local playgrounds was covered with paint which contained lead. As a result, the city removed all of the equipment, and the sta- tion helped to raise $120,000 to buy new jungle gyms, slides and see-saws.

19 Education

Education lies at the heart of the majority of station initiatives re- lating to young people. Broadcasters cover the gamut of needs, from sending news talent to read to kindergartners, to raising and donating money for college scholarships. Often they will make a special effort to honor an exceptional student who serves as a role model for his or her peers, teaching substance abuse avoidance, con- flict resolution skills and many other useful life lessons.

Many stations also help acquaint students with the world of broad- casting, providing internships, studio tours, and even setting up special programs at vocational/technical schools. Others sponsor literacy programs that encourage kids to visit their local library and Broadcasters cover read over the summer, and reward those who read the most books the gamut of needs, with outings to amusement parks. from sending news ■ Sometimes a station will focus heavily on one student with spe- talent to read to cial needs. One disabled young woman struggled almost all of kindergartners, to the way through college, only to realize that she did not have enough money to complete her last semester. WRAL-TV in raising and donating Raleigh, North Carolina, ran the story, and as a result she re- money for college ceived not only enough money for her college expenses but also scholarships. Often the donation of a van for her transportation needs. they will make a ■ February is “Love of Reading” month at KVOA-TV in Tucson, special effort to Arizona. The station highlights the importance of literacy honor an exceptional through PSAs and feature news stories, and its news talent of- ten visits local schools and reads their favorite books to class- student who serves as rooms full of children. a role model for his ■ WSFA-TV in Montgomery, Alabama, sponsors an initiative or her peers. called the “Best Campaign,” to raise money for supplies for pub- lic and private schools in the area. Last year they netted $600,000 selling coupon books for $10 each.

■ KNOP-TV in North Platte, Nebraska, created a program called “News Reporting 101” for students at the South Platte Valley School. The station purchased a digital camera that the stu- dents use to videotape a variety of stories they write themselves, as well as plays, school activities, stories in town, and the like. The tape is then edited at the station and broadcast. The pro- gram encourages students to learn good journalism and the skills involved in interviewing, news gathering, writing, newscasting, directing and producing. It has been so successful that it has been expanded to other schools in the area.

20 ■ WMCS-AM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has one of the most successful scholarship programs for high school students spon- sored by a media outlet in the nation. Eight years ago they began recognizing a student at each of Milwaukee’s 20 high schools with a $1,290 (1290 is the station’s frequency) scholar- ship. Since then the program has grown to include other area high schools and now offers 25 scholarships of $1,600 each. Although the station promotes, manages and contributes to the scholarship fund, it also now includes a number of Milwaukee and statewide businesses as well.

■ When a high school band in Marietta, West Virginia, needed $130,000 for a roadtrip and appearance at the 1997 Orange Bowl Parade in Florida, WDMX-FM in Vienna and other boost- ers helped them raise it through on-air promotions, an infor- mation line and the station’s Web site.

■ WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, sponsors a program called “Learning Matters” that is designed to raise awareness of the problems, opportunities and concerns related to local edu- cation. It helps raise funds for computers, field trips, playgrounds and other needs. Last year’s coupon book sale, in partnership with Entertainment Publications, raised $85,000.

■ WMC-TV Memphis and WTVF-TV Nashville have set up a “Homework Hotline” service for students in grades K-12 to help them with assignments four nights per week. Teachers staff the various academic areas and the programs have regular callers, plus the occasional help session. The program began in 1987 and has helped more than 50,000 kids in every school year since.

■ At KITV-TV in Honolulu the “School Tools” project helps chil- dren whose parents don’t have the means to provide them with basic school materials. The sales department recruits sponsors to buy the children the pencils, paper, and other materials they need - sometimes as much as $45 worth per child.

■ As part of “Science Education Theater,” a project of WTVC- TV in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a former teacher and current meteorologist conducts experiments and demonstrations in sci- ence for entire classrooms who come to a facility the station rents in an empty mall. More than 200,000 kids have been through the “best field trip in the state.”

■ KXLY-TV began sponsoring a school attendance incentive pro- gram in Spokane, Washington, in response to an alarming rate of middle-school truancy. When “Miss School, Miss Out” be-

21 gan some schools had an absentee rate above 15 percent, more than twice the district average. One principal at the time said that fewer than five of his students would qualify for an atten- dance award. In the first year of the program, that same princi- pal had 125 of his students qualify for an award. The program ran in 22 schools and affected some 3,500 students. Health

Another major focus of broadcasters’ community service efforts is in the area of health care. From coast to coast, stations sponsor immunization festivals, free screening for conditions ranging from prostate cancer to diabetes, educational and awareness campaigns, and a long list of other health-related activities. Many are cen- Another major focus tered in poor neighborhoods, but others embrace entire cities and of broadcasters’ towns. community service Because of the tremendous need for blood and plasma in emer- efforts is in the area of gency rooms, the most popular initiative is the blood drive, which health care. From coast many stations sponsor several times a year. Some are scheduled to coast, stations annually, others spontaneously in response to requests from blood banks that hit unanticipated shortfalls. Occasionally stations even sponsor immunization join forces with one another to increase their impact. festivals, free screening for conditions ranging ■ One of the nation’s largest blood drives is sponsored by WZZK- AM/FM in Birmingham, Alabama. Their annual one-day blood from prostate cancer to drive last year collected 15,000 pints. diabetes, educational ■ and awareness WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh has been involved in The Race for the Cure for five years, working locally with the National Council campaigns, and a long for Jewish Women to bolster breast cancer detection awareness. list of other health- Their efforts have helped to raise $1.85 million over five years, related activities. which goes to research and for vouchers to allow uninsured women to get mammograms. The result: 11,000 vouchers and the detection of 500 cancer cases.

■ KING-TV in Seattle worked with the University of Washington School of Medicine to produce a series of spots promoting CPR classes. Thousands of viewers called to sign up for the classes. One man, who did not actually take the class but obviously paid close attention to the spots, was later fishing and saw a fallen senior citizen surrounded by onlookers. He performed CPR and saved the man’s life, based on what he saw on KING’s PSA.

■ WXYZ-TV in Detroit created and sponsors the Children’s Im- munization Fair. Now in its 20th year, the fair has helped to immunize up to 2,000 children annually.

22 Substance Abuse

Another area of heavy emphasis in broadcasters’ community ser- vice is substance abuse, from alcohol to hard drugs. Virtually all stations run PSAs to discourage young people from tempting fate and experimenting with illegal drugs. Hundreds also work hard to discourage drinking and driving, through every means from aware- ness campaigns to mock car crashes.

■ WANE-TV in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, produced a 30-minute, com- mercial-free documentary in 1997 designed to keep kids off drugs. Far beyond a simple PSA, it is called “Death Row Con- victions” and is the true story of how drugs led one Northeast Indiana man on a multi-state crack-and-crime spree that ended in murder. The man’s daughter also was interviewed. The re- porter who conducted the interviews was allowed into the cell of a death row inmate, which is very rare, and also went under- cover with the Ft. Wayne police to show how easy it is to buy drugs. The documentary has received an overwhelming response from the community and is being shown in area schools, churches and civic groups.

■ Iowa radio and television stations recently banded together in an unprecedented effort to deliver the anti-substance abuse mes- sage to young people throughout the state through their par- ticipation in a live, one-hour program called “Rumor, Risk & Reality.” It was produced by the Iowa Broadcasters Association.

■ WACH-TV in Columbia, South Carolina, takes a positive ap- proach, regularly selecting a high school “Teen to Watch” who is nominated by someone at their school or a parent because they promote a drug-free lifestyle. The youths are interviewed on the evening news, and at the end of the year are honored with a station-sponsored banquet for all of the winners, the people who nominated them, and their families.

■ KRTV-TV in Great Falls, Montana, sponsors a program called “Voices Against Tobacco,” which introduces children to a woman who lost her voice because of smoking, as well as offers the opportunity for the kids to design billboards and produce PSAs, the best of which the station airs.

23 Crime/Law Enforcement

In addition to delivering anti-drug messages, many stations help fight crime in their communities in a wide variety of ways. One of the most common approaches is the “Crimestopper” feature on the evening news, encouraging witnesses and others with knowledge of specific criminal activity to contact authorities.

Other stations mount public awareness campaigns to warn their viewers and listeners of the dangers of speeding, to educate and inform them about youth gangs, and help them learn how to pro- tect themselves in emergency situations.

■ WJON-AM and its two sister stations in St. Cloud, Minnesota, recently sponsored a three-month campaign to raise money to buy bulletproof vests for the police department. Its goal was $50,000, but the tally ultimately hit $75,000.

■ WMCS-AM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, developed and promotes a Gun Buyback program that rewards those bringing in work- ing handguns with a $50 gift certificate, or a trigger lock for the gun’s owner provided by their co-sponsor, Masterlock of Mil- waukee. In the program’s four years, WMCS has purchased 1,000 guns and distributed 750 trigger locks.

■ WCUB-AM in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, has a unique program to benefit young children in distress. Inspired by their call let- ters, the station’s Teddy Bear Brigade collects donated teddy bears for police agencies to use when dealing with children caught up in traumatic situations. The 1997 campaign netted 1,268 toys.

■ WWL-TV in New Orleans produced a domestic violence aware- ness video featuring the mayor, chief of police and head of the YWCA in New Orleans. Every station in the city has requested and is running the video, which does not feature a station-spe- cific logo.

■ In York, Nebraska, KAWL-AM/KTMX-FM radio responded to a critical community need by raising $30,000 to send three people to Creighton University Medical School for one year to become certified paramedics. Previously, no emergency medi- cal service had existed in the entire county.

24 Charity Fundraisers

As the quantitative report details, broadcasters donate and raise mil- lions of dollars every year for literally thousands of charitable orga- nizations and institutions serving an enormous variety of needs na- tionwide. Food banks, schools, libraries, battered women’s shelters, homes for the mentally retarded, the blind - the list is practically endless and can barely be touched upon in just a handful of ex- amples.

If one group stands out, it is the health care field, particularly the research and treatment of diseases like cancer, AIDS, muscular dys- trophy, and cystic fibrosis. Stations raise money and awareness via not only traditional telethons, but also by sponsoring 10k races, concerts, festivals and benefit auctions.

■ KWCH-TV in Wichita, Kansas, has produced a Goodwill Eas- ter Seals telethon each year for the past decade. The most re- cent event raised $382,522. The station commits all station resources to the effort and pre-empts normal programming, as well as makes a monetary contribution to the cause.

■ Since 1990, the No. 1 community service program for KTBS-TV in Shreveport, Louisiana, has been a telethon for St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital. Last year’s event raised more than a million dollars, raffling off a house, a car, a boat and other items donated by members of the community. Most of the money goes into patient care at the hospital, but some also goes into research. The KTBS telethon is the hospital’s second-largest fundraiser.

■ WVTM-TV in Birmingham, Alabama, sent their sports anchor, Jim Dunaway, to camp out on a billboard for five days, doing live reports and newscasts. Viewers called in pledges totaling $20,000 to benefit Children’s Hospital.

■ WITN-TV in Washington, North Carolina, has carried the Children’s Miracle Network for the past 12 years, during which they have raised $3.5 million. The money raised goes directly to Children’s Hospital of Eastern Carolina. Promotion includes on-air PSAs and news program highlights. On-air talent hosts the telethon.

■ KINE-FM radio in Honolulu supports the Kapi’olani Children’s Miracle Network telethon at Ala Moana Center, broadcasting it live. Station personality Randy Hudnall, who donates his time to host the event, doesn’t sleep for 48 hours while he gath- ers donations. Listeners call in and give donations to have their

25 favorite songs played on the air. Last year’s event raised over $400,000.

■ WYOU-TV in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, runs a year-long campaign for the United Way that leads up to the annual fund- raising drive. From early September through mid-November, the station raised $4 million in Lackawanna County, with the help of a generic spot that they shared with other stations.

■ WBAY-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin, has produced a local tele- thon to benefit its regional Cerebral Palsy chapter since 1953. Reputed to be the oldest continuous telethon in the nation, last year it raised more than $600,000.

■ KSSK-AM/FM in Honolulu annually supports the “Great Aloha Run,” which is the second largest fun run/walk in the entire country. About 30,000 people participate in the event which KSSK donates $50,000-60,000 in airtime to promote. The Run benefits a number of charities, including the American Diabe- tes Association and the American Lung Association.

■ WKSK-AM in West Jefferson, North Carolina, holds an an- nual auction to benefit the American Heart Association’s Heart Fund. Station staff solicit donations of items to be auctioned — from tournament tickets to septic tanks — and conduct the event over the air. They typically raise more than $10,000. “We give the station to the Heart Fund for the day,” says the station’s general manager.

■ WTVC-TV in Chattanooga, Tennessee, last year helped raise half the annual budget of the Chattanooga Community Kitchen — a total of $130,000 — in just one day. This year’s goal is $300,000.

■ Stars for Starkey is a three-day benefit for Starkey, Inc., a Wichita, Kansas, home for the physically and mentally disabled. KFDI- AM/FM brings in country western stars for a full weekend of events, including a golf tournament, concert, and church ser- vice. The stars also visit the Starkey Home. The station pro- vides thousands of staff hours to put it all together, raising $60,000 last year and a total of a quarter of a million dollars since they began.

■ KRTV-TV in Great Falls, Montana, runs United Way ads free of charge and matches employee contributions dollar for dollar. They helped raise $800,000 last year.

■ KKLV-FM in Honolulu hosted “Foodstock,” a concert food drive, on New Year’s Day. For three donated cans of food, fans

26 could enjoy three separate bands. Over 600 cans of food and more than $500 in cash was collected to serve the needy.

■ KOMO-TV and KOMO-AM in Seattle collect donations ev- ery year for the “Food Lifeline.” Since the program began eight years ago, listeners and viewers have donated more than four million pounds of food and more than $500,000 to help feed the poor of western Washington.

■ WXII-TV of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has been involved with the Team Walk for the March of Dimes for the past seven years. The program typically raises $700,000-$800,000 for the organization.

■ KXLY-TV and KXLY Radio in Spokane, Washington collects, cleans and distributes coats for needy children in the fall. They produce and broadcast PSAs to promote the drive and organize over 200 volunteers at collection sites throughout the city to help parents find a coat for their children.

■ When St. Vincent de Paul’s main warehouse burned down just before Christmas, a member of the news team at WXYZ-TV in Detroit suggested that the station open the engineering garage and make a public appeal to restock their inventory. “The cars were lined up for miles - it brought tears to our eyes,” he said. “We had to have the police come and start directing traffic.” Because of the station’s quick action, St. Vincent de Paul was able to replace all of the bicycles, coats, mittens and toys that had been lost.

■ In addition to helping their local chapter of the United Way raise more than $750,000, the staff of KBND-AM in Bend, Oregon, organized and promoted (with more than $15,000 worth of free air time) a series of work days in which they helped a number of the agency’s beneficiaries with projects such as building a porch; painting a building; repairing sidewalks and constructing swing sets.

■ To raise money for Camp Make-a-Dream, an organization in Montana that hosts children with cancer at a mountain facility, KMON-AM in Great Falls sent one of their deejays to spend a week on the roof of a local Blockbuster Video on a major thor- oughfare. The fire department helped her up to the roof, and the community rallied around the effort to raise $40,000, about eight times what they had expected. The camp, which was just getting off the ground, was “flabbergasted,” and the next year got stations all around the state to do the same thing.

27 Community Programming

Local TV and radio stations often host programming designed to meet the special and unique needs of their communities. These shows cover serious issues ranging from racial reconciliation to freeway con- struction. Others feature Little League games, symphony concerts, town hall meetings, and the like. Some run for five or ten minutes, several times a day. Others can be an hour or longer, allowing view- ers and listeners to probe deeply into the important issues that affect their lives on a day-to-day basis. All help to unify their communities and provide a sense of shared responsibility and opportunity. ■ Much of the community service of WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, revolves around shows that are produced in-house. The station has two magazine shows which have been on the air for two decades: “Prime Time Weekend” and “Visions.” These programs feature local stories about local people. “Inside Story” is a news headline debate show featuring local insiders who dis- cuss the issues of the day; four panelists cover the political spec- trum. “Puerto Rican Panorama” has been on the air for 25 years and focuses on the concerns of the Latino community. ■ WSPA-TV in Spartanburg, South Carolina, works closely with the state Human Relations Committee to help facilitate better race relations in the area. WSPA annually produces and airs a half-hour program to discuss race relations, which airs in prime time on a weekend night. ■ “Showcase of the City” is a program sponsored by the City of San Antonio that received substantial media coverage by radio stations KCOR/KROM/KXTN. Comprised of 20 exhibits from various city departments, it traveled to four local malls during April and May, reaching thousands of San Antonians. More than 11,000 pieces of information/educational materials were distrib- uted, and 4,600 people also received direct services, such as free immunization records, library cards, requests for pothole repairs, code compliance reports, child fingerprinting kits, job applica- tions and advice for home repairs or starting new businesses. Election Campaigns

In an ongoing effort to improve political discourse, nearly half of the stations surveyed provide free air time for political candidates in the form of debates, forums and public affairs programs. Virtually all stations also run community service campaigns to encourage their viewers and listeners to get out and vote. Many of these local efforts are supplemented by national and network initiatives.

28 ■ WMCS-AM runs a daylong ‘straw poll’ the week prior to Elec- tion Day at 26 high traffic locations around the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area to encourage participation and educate voters. The program has run in three elections and has seen as many as 19,000 persons “vote.”

■ WTOK-TV in Meridian, Mississippi, produces town meetings that are more like debates in election season; typically they do two per election. The station also invites candidates to appear during the five o’clock newscast and weekend political discus- sion shows for five or ten-minute interviews. On the weekend show they also offer opportunities to discuss the issues in greater detail.

■ Several Boston television stations joined with the city’s two major papers to co-sponsor a series of seven debates between incum- bent Sen. John Kerry and Governor William Weld in their high- profile 1996 race. There are as many approaches ■ WRIX-AM/FM in Honea Path, South Carolina, hosts “Stump to community Day,” in which all candidates are given 15 uninterrupted min- utes to give a speech, all of which are broadcast on the same day. service as there Also, two or three weeks prior to election day, all candidates are are stations invited into the studio for interviews. serving different ■ Members of the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association have sup- communities and ported a statewide effort by their state association to produce audiences across broadcast debates in major statewide elections since 1990. the nation. Between 18 and 20 TV stations in all Wisconsin markets have carried these debates live each time they have been produced, joined by as many as 80 radio stations. Other Contributions

There are as many approaches to community service as there are stations serving different communities and audiences across the nation. Some stations have created their own categories, others have had it done for them simply by virtue of responding to the needs outside their doors.

■ “The House that Radio Built,” in Walhalla, South Carolina, is now home for a single mother with three young children. WGOG-FM worked with Habitat for Humanity to help raise money by selling 2 x 4 pieces of wood for $5 each, and running an aggressive schedule of on-air promotions. A total of $15,000 was raised to purchase building supplies. While the house was being built, the station did live broadcasts

29 from the scene and every station staff member pitched in to help with construction.

■ Likewise, WNNN-AM in Salem, New Jersey, has helped to build housing for seven needy families in their area, at a value of $350,000.

■ Since 1981, KETV-TV in Omaha, Nebraska, has provided consumers and businesses with an information and referral ser- vice called “Seven Can Help.” Consumers and businesses alike contact them to report problems and seek a fair settlement. An average of 2,000 calls are handled each year, with an 80 percent success rate. The station promotes the service on the air and coordinates a staff of 20 volunteers, half of whom have been serving for the past 17 years. “Seven Can Help” has been so successful that KETV has since expanded it with a program specifically focused on children’s problems, called “Seven Can Help Kids.”

■ WKXL-AM in Concord, NH, stepped up to the plate three years ago when the Granite State Symphony first formed and asked the organization if they wanted help with publicizing the orchestra and its concerts. The donation of approximately $8,000 of air time ensured the first two concerts were successes, with near-capacity crowds. Four years later, WKXL is still a primary media sponsor of the symphony and gives approximately $8,000 of airtime a year.

■ WORK-FM in Barre, Vermont, sponsors a “Walk for Animals” every year to raise money for the Central Vermont Humane Society. Conclusion

This first-ever attempt to quantify broadcasters' community service contributions demonstrates the commitment of an industry to the local communities it serves. From AIDS research to Toys for Tots, radio and television stations are integral parts of their communities, dedicated to serving the public "interest, convenience and necessity."

It's worth noting, however, that broadcasters’ nearly $7 billion worth of community service contributions a year are not static. Behind that number are countless programs that continue to expand and find new and innovative ways to reach out and make life a little better for stations' viewers and listeners.

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